Nuclear Energy, Economy, and Democracy: The European Policy Debates

Panelists:
Cécile Maisonneuve, Senior Advisor, French Institute of International Relations’ Center for Energy & Climate
Dr. Miranda Schreurs, Professor and Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy, Technical University of Munich

Moderator:
Dr. Emanuel Rota, Director of the European Union Center

Recent breakthroughs in nuclear fusion technology — whereby renewable energy is produced by the fusion of two atomic nuclei into one heavier nucleus — have led to heightened interest in the future of nuclear energy and its implications for the environment, energy security, and public policy. Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine has further underscored the importance of cheap renewable energy for the European Union, which is heavily dependent on Russia for its coal, natural gas, and oil supplies. To address these issues, the EU Center organized a symposium on the future of technology, energy, and security in Europe on Earth Day 2022, featuring prominent scholars and policy makers from France, Germany, and the U.S. This was one of the panels.